Murder at Macbeth is the debut novel from Samantha Goodwin and I’m already looking forward to more from this author. It was a mere coincidence that I read two books back-to-back that revolved around a murder that took place during a production of Macbeth (and both victims were playing Lady Macbeth) but both stories were so different that I didn’t feel like there was any repetition happening at all.
Title: Murder at Macbeth
Author: Samantha Goodwin
First Published: May 17, 2019
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Categories: Mystery
Acquired: from author
*** Thank you to Samantha Goodwin for providing me with a digital Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. ***
WHOSE DEADLY SECRET HAS TAKEN CENTRE STAGE?
When an aspiring actress, Nikki Gowan, stabs herself live onstage after a prop knife is switched with a real knife, suspicion falls on her director and six castmates.
The main suspects include Nikki’s boyfriend Jimmy, her best friend Megan, and her acting rival Emma. The fact that the suspects are all actors makes the job tougher for Detective Inspector Finley Robson and his partner, Detective Sergeant Nadia Zahra, who must figure out who had the strongest motive to plan this murder.
A MYSTERY TOLD IN A SERIES OF FLASHBACKS
I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded. We meet the suspects and get their sides of the story in a series of flashbacks that come out during the interviews the detectives conduct with each of the suspects. These flashback stories overlap, contradict or collaborate one another, causing some suspects to be interrogated twice.
The flashbacks also made the story more compelling because we get to see the events from the different perspectives of the people involved. This style of storytelling gave the reader a really good insight into each of the character’s motivations and insecurities. Slowly, an interesting profile of the victim is built up since we get to see her from so many different angles. Nikki Gowan was a beloved daughter, an adored sister, a villain, a manipulator, a object of desire or a protector, depending on who was telling the story.
I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE
The mystery itself is well developed and even though I had a good idea of who the perpetrator was, I was still left doubting my guess until nearly the end. There are twists aplenty, plus a few sad heartbreaks along the way.
There was also hints and teasers into the private lives of Robson and Zahra. The two detectives have incredibly different personalities but balance each other out very well. I found both of them interesting enough to hope that this is the start of a long-running series.
READ IT FOR YOURSELF
(The following Amazon and Book Depository links are Affiliate Links. Click here to read my Advertising & Affiliate Disclaimer)
